Government agencies need to embrace new models of innovation, according to a new report sponsored by the IBM Center for the Business of Government. The study presents a review of new innovation models—dubbed network-based collaborative innovation---that have been pioneered by leading firms such as Procter & Gamble, 3M, and others. This approach links organizations to outside networks (such as customers or other partners) with the purpose of generating a broader and more diverse set of ideas and possible solutions. In the process, the speed of innovation is increased. Many thorny public policy issues, including areas like environmental conservation and disaster response, could benefit from this model. Yet, government agencies are presently not well suited to this approach, which places a high premium on openness and a commitment to close collaboration. The report provides a series of detailed recommendations for internal reforms that will help create the appropriate organizational culture and structures within government agencies.

Download the 2008 IBM Center for the Business of Government-sponsored report, Transforming Government through Collaborative Innovation, by Satish Nambisan.